Haiti earthquake: trials and testimonies

Further tremors

‘The earthquake forced people to sleep outside – in tents, under tarpaulin or whatever they could find – and this was through storms and heavy rains,’ shares Marc Antoine, who leads Tearfund’s work in Haiti. ‘Families are still outside – it's still the rainy season, the hurricane season.’

‘The situation in Haiti continues to be very volatile. There was another small 4.2 earthquake in the southern region which didn't cause damage, but it caused a lot of psychological and emotional damage as families relived the shaking and the trauma.

‘Tearfund has been working with local churches to help with shelter. We have also been distributing cash grants so that people can buy what they need. We are still working on reaching families in the most affected and the most rural areas – trying to get them support both in the short and the long-term.’

Cash grants have helped many families in the aftermath of the earthquake with their immediate needs: ‘I am very happy [for the cash grants] as I didn’t have money, I didn’t have anything,’ shares mother-of-eight Bernadette.

‘I praise God, because he sent you to save our lives.’

The church continues its worship

Major Thimothee Saint-Juste is a church leader whose house and church were both reduced to rubble. Tearfund has been working with Thimothee to provide for the community’s most urgent needs.

‘We say thank you to Tearfund for this great effort and this quick response. We are really happy to receive this support, so we can help people,’ he shares. ‘They don’t have anything to eat or drink and their homes have been destroyed.

‘Our role and duty is to be there, to give our support whatever way we can do it. When Jesus was on Earth, he would give to people in need, he didn’t discriminate against anyone – everyone who was hungry or thirsty, he offered them food and drinking water.

‘Today, we had a great worship service with the people in the community to thank God.’

‘The need remains great in Haiti,’ concludes Marc. ‘It will take time to rebuild what has been lost, but God is faithful.’

As Thimothee’s church continues to praise God – even in the midst of despair – please consider listening to worship music and praising God as you lift up your prayers for Haiti.